Amazon Pushes Alexa, Highlights Small Sellers in Prime Day Deals

Amazon is ready to disrupt the retail landscape for the third consecutive year, as it launches its July 11 Prime Day promotion. The company will offer thousands of discounted items and special promotions to reward its Prime customers and increase their numbers, while rivals scramble to maintain their decreasing share of the e-commerce pie.

“Our teams have been working for months to source exciting and interesting deals,” said Greg Greeley, vice president, Amazon Prime. “Our fulfillment centers are loaded with products, our operations associates are ready, and our transportation partners around the world are excitedly waiting for the first Prime Day order.”

Starting at 6 p.m. PT on Monday, Amazon will offer special curated deals on some of its biggest-selling items. The Amazon Echo smart speaker, powered by its Alexa assistant, will be available for 50 percent off, at US$89.99. The Echo Dot will go for $34.99 — $15 off its regular price and the lowest-priced product among all the major smart speaker competitors.

Amazon will give Prime members access to special Alexa deals through July 17, so they can verbally ask their device for Prime Day deals and get information by voice.

Prime Directive

For the past two years, Amazon has used its Prime Day promotion to disrupt the e-commerce landscape by offering massive discounts on some of its top-selling items and draw new customers to its Amazon Prime membership program.

During Prime Day 2016, which was the company’s biggest-ever single sales day, company orders surpassed the 2015 promotion by 60 percent worldwide and 50 percent in the U.S., spokesperson Julie Law told the E-Commerce Times.

This year 40 percent of lightning deals will come from small businesses and entrepreneurs, including 25 percent savings on…